Gentle Giants
by gorrthebisexualboy
Summary: Porphyrion felt like a failure after getting obliterated by Zeus and Jason. Join the former king of the Gigantes on his journey to redemption, even if he makes a few dangerous enemies along the way. Eventual Percabeth and Solangelo
1. Won't You Be My Neighbor?

I had failed. That's the thought that kept running through my head. Gaea had created me for one thing and one thing only. Eliminate Zeus and all his spawn. Unfortunately, Zeus and his brat son had completely curb stomped me.

I sat at the edge of Khaos, my three-toed feet dangling to the void. I won't deny it. I did have thoughts of ending my life by leaping into the void. My purpose was to kill Zeus. I tried usurping him. I came pretty close, too. But I had failed.

I needed to get up from the ledge. Periboia, as powerful as she had become, still needed my fatherly guidance.

I sighed. No she didn't.

They say that the Fates create everyone with at least one flaw. I was foolish to think myself and the other Gigantes were exempt from this.

After my self-reflection, I realized that my flaw was arrogance. Particularly, when it comes to mortals. They were hardy despite their very limited power. At first I despised Jason. But the more I thought about it, the more I was impressed.

My life was worthless now. Defeated by a bunch of bumbling upstart demigods and their all powerful back-up. Gaea was defeated and wouldn't rise again for thousands, maybe millions of years.

Even Tartartus was beaten down by my little brother Damasen and one of his Titan friends. Sure, Tartarus the place still functioned as normal. Same pleasant sulfur gas. Same rejuvenating factor that made it such a popular tourist destination.

But my father was gone by my runt of a brother's hands.

Right, arrogance is my fatal flaw. I need to stop discounting those I find weak. If demigods and Titans are responsible for my father's demise, then I still had work to do.

I got up from the ledge and stretched. My back made a wonderfully loud cracking sound as I twisted my torso.

"Hey, neighbor!" called a voice. I looked around. There was no one at my eye level. Then I remembered that I was fifty feet tall and much larger than most monsters. I squatted and looked the ghost of a mortal. It's not often that I see a mortal hanging around here, dead or alive. Only the worst of the worst were able to survive. Mussolini, bin Laden and Lenin all played poker with me on a regular basis. Mussolini is not very good at making poker faces, however.

There was one instance, however, where one soul actually traveled down from Elysium to commune with us. He encouraged a few monsters to renounce their old ways start anew now that Tartarus had been scattered. His name, I couldn't recall. Which I felt a little guilty about considering he was the one who had addressed me.

"Hello, mortal." I said, now kneeling. It was an odd sight, I suppose, to an outsider. But I was trying to learn how to respect those I previously thought were beneath me.

He was gangly for a mortal, about six feet tall. He spoke slowly and serenely, as if constantly on the edge of falling asleep. Perhaps he was one of Morpheus' spawns. Sorry, offspring.

"Good morning, Porphyrion. Isn't it a wonderful day?" asked the mortal.

I listened to the Fields of Punishment and all the screams of the damned. The sulfur was especially smelly today. The shattered glass that covered the ground felt therapeutic between my toes. I didn't always take the time to appreciate these things.

"Well, yes, I suppose it is." I said. "Why are you here?"

"Just checking in on my favorite king of the Gigantes." said the mortal with a pleasant smile.

"Alright, cut the act." I said forcefully. "Why are you really here?"

"I had a television show back when I was on Earth. I centered my life around making sure the downtrodden and lonely felt as special as everyone else."

I nodded thoughtfully. Perhaps this demigod was a son of Aphrodite. His slow sense of talking was assuredly some sort of charmspeak.

"You know, I've always thought that knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the opportunity to grow into the healthiest of souls."

"What does this have to do with me?"

"I don't believe you've had the opportunity to experience that yet, have you?" asked the mortal.

I recalled the major moments of my life. Not once, in my two thousand five hundred and forty-one year life had I ever been told I was loved. I was respected by my follow Gigantes. I was feared by demigods, Titans, etc. But I was never loved.

I shook my head, trying to make myself look as indifferent as possible "No, I have not."

The mortal also shook his head with a faint smile on his face, "It's not so much what you have, but what you do with what you have."

The burning question in my brain finally couldn't be contained "Who are you?"

The mortal shrugged "Just a friendly neighbor."

I sighed and flopped down, already emotionally drained from this conversation. It was unlike any other discussion I had before now.

It was this realization that sparked my journey, I think. This mortal was the first person to address me as an equal. Not only that, he also addressed me with compassion. I even sensed bits of hope. I was tempted to call him delusional. Zeus was not kind to his enemies, and other than Typhon, Kronos and Hera, I was his greatest.

Was I really fourth place? Maybe I should try harder next time.

"I can see that you're thinking about a lot right now. And I'm not going to make you promise by the River Styx or anything, but I'd like you to consider it, okay?"

I nodded "I will."

The mortal strolled away, whistling pleasantly and waving good morning to Krios.


	2. The Hunt Nearly Skewers Me (Not Really)

While Tartarus is an excellent place to stay for short periods of time, the tourist attractions get boring after a few weeks. I would say after a fortnight, but Peribolia tells me that is a forbidden word among mortals. Why that is, I cannot fathom. Fortnight is a very convenient word.

Regardless, after checking in with Damasen and Iapetus, I was cleared to travel to Earth. After exiting Tartarus through his dormant anus, I stumbled out in the forest I did not recognize.

I immediately felt like I was suffocating. The heavy air of Tartarus was lovely for larger monsters like me. I could breathe in as much sulfur as much as my hairy, shriveled heart desired. There was a lot less of that on Earth. I stumbled, a little woozy before forcing myself to adjust.

It was nighttime. I could see Artemis' chariot flying far ahead. Untouchable, as the Olympians themselves have proven to be several times. Fog somewhat obscured my vision, but I was fine otherwise.

The air was abnormally, even for Earth, making me think I was on some sort of mountain.

I pushed two trees down and found a dilapidated road with flickering street lamps I was significantly taller than.

I tried being stealthy to try not to alert the Olympians to my presence, but I could already feel Artemis staring daggers at me up above. Zeus would know I was back in his domain by sunrise. I hoped I would have longer, but I have never been the lucky type.

I started creeping down the road. Everytime my foot met the ground, a giant booming sound echoed around. Normally, I was proud of my hefty weight. But trying to sneak around while weighing forty thousand pounds was a losing battle. I don't recommend it.

I looked behind me and saw my feet were leaving indentations in road, as if an elephantine chicken had strutted across the asphalt.

I shrugged and starting normally.

If I knew one thing about mortals, it's that they were addicted to connections. This path undoubtedly connected with some sort of settlement. The issue was getting there before Artemis was able to tell Zeus I was back.

In my concern about Zeus, I had completely forgotten about her Hunters. While not truly immortal, I could sense them closing in already. Shimmering silvery energy shined above the treetops.

I wished I was lower on Zeus' list of priorities. It truly is a curse to be all that.

The Hunters were closing in from the north and the south, on either side of the road. I decided to continue walking along the road. It was nice and peaceful out. I did not want to fight the Hunt.

I know what you must be thinking. Porphyrion, you're the king of the giants! You could slaughter the entire Hunt with one hand tied behind your back. And you would be correct. However, I am no longer interested in ending lives. Mr. Rodgers saw to that.

Ah, so that was the mortal's name. Rodgers. Funny how that happens sometimes.

The Hunters were never conversational, and not open to negotiation. They viewed anything that wasn't human as a target. Thought, without the support of their patron goddess, there was nothing they could do to harm me.

Nevertheless, I quickened my pace. I was now doing a light jog, though with the length and build of my legs, I was now moving at forty miles per hour.

The Hunters quickly fell behind.

On the horizon, the lights of human civilization appeared. There were not many of them. It was not a very populous settlement I was looking at. I preferred it that way.

I was kidding myself if I was going to be believe that I was going to avoid a confrontation with the Olympians. I could delay it for as long as I could. But another fight with Zeus felt inevitable.

Was that me talking? Or was it Gaea? Was there even a difference?"

I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I was Porphyrion. I was master of my own destiny, now. Whether or not that was a good thing, I have yet to see.

An annoying tingling sensation erupted up and down my back. At first, I thought nothing of it. Then I heard the yelling. I whipped my head around and saw a lone Hunter firing off lightning blasts from twin knives. She had spiky hair and had the disposition of a leader. The moment I saw her electric eyes, I knew. This Hunter was the spawn of Zeus.

"Hey, Chicken Legs" called the lieutenant, "Eat voltage!"

In the interest of transparency, I am going to tell you, Gaea and Tartarus formed me with the idea of being the bane of Zeus. This you know. So in order to defeat Zeus, they blessed me with heavy resistance to lightning.

Which is why the Lieutenant's lightning didn't affect me. I could barely feel it.

I adhered to her command, however. I opened my mouth and allowed her blasts to tickle my tastebuds. Her lightning tasted metallic and unappetizing.

"I have no interest in fighting you." I informed her.

"Well, that's too bad. I have a lot of interest in fighting you!" yelled the Lieutenant.

I cracked my knuckles, a deafening sound that shook the treetops and cracked the poorly kempt street. "You are either very brave, very stupid, or a combination of both."

"Try angry." snarled the Lieutenant.

I knelt down and flicked the two knives out of her hands effortlessly, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Thalia!" called another Hunter "What's going on?" The rest of the Hunt started emerging from the treetops and on the mossy ground. Most of them of them had their bows drawn taunt. If I wasn't immortal, I would be severely concerned for my health.

I had heard rumors of a Roman named Reyna taking down Orion without the direct assistance of an Olympian. Perhaps the blessing of Artemis was enough for the Hunt to bring me back down.

The Lieutenant, now identified as Thalia, gazed up at my face curiously. "I thought I was hunting the giant king. Are you a lost Hyperborean or something?"

"No. I am Porphyrion."

Thailia crossed her arms "Are you sure?"

"Would you like me to slaughter all of your friends to prove myself?" I countered. I stamped my foot into the ground and my trusty spear materialized in my hands. It truly was a beautiful weapon, fashioned from birch wood and topped off with an Imperial gold tip. I was never one to name my weapons, though. I always found that tradition a little strange.

That thinking probably started when I realized Polybotes called his Nodiesop. It was just Poseidon backwards. It was difficult to pronounce and sounded lame when pronounced correctly.

Anyways, back to Thalia.

I will give the Hunt credit. I was likely the most powerful opponent they have faced since Kronos' army, but they only wavered for a second.

I counted fifteen Hunters on my left and twelve on my right. And there was Thalia in the middle of the street.

So I did what any reasonable giant would do and teleported out of there and into the little town down the road.

I can't teleport without my spear. Just a little fun fact for you. If you have read that whole Heroes of Olympus debacle, you probably know that I can teleport. However, that is a power my spear has. Not me. Glad we cleared the air.

The town itself was quaint. Building were few and far inbetween. The roads were all crumbling and terribly unkempt. They were simply paths of asphalt, their normally intricate design of white and yellow dashes were absent. The buildings were in somewhat good shape, though.

I willed myself down to the most human form I could manage and entered the nearest building.


	3. Welcome Home, Porphyrion

Upbeat, mortal music greeted my ears. An upbeat piano was supported by a truly funky fresh synth. It was a Frankie Valli song if I recalled correctly. I did my best to keep track of godly offspring, but whether or not Valli was a son of a Muse or Apollo or simply a talented mortal slipped my mind.

My tongue was still slightly singed from Thalia's thunderbolt. Even some of Zeus's strikes weren't that powerful.

For the first time, I looked around the room I was in. It wasn't exactly Tartarus, but it wasn't Orthys either. During the Second Raid on Olympus, Koios had taken everyone to a bar to celebrate the capture of Nico de Angelo. This was another one of those bars.

Movie posters for films I didn't recognize were tacked up all over the walls.

"Hello." I said, awkwardly. It was partially relieving to know that my deep, booming and all around awesome voice didn't change in my human form. It was partially worrisome, because if I wanted to set my roots down in human society, especially mortal society, having a scary voice would be a challenge.

My anxieties, thankfully, were eliminated almost at once.

"Hey!" shouted one of the humans "New guy!"

They cheered as one. I was confused. My brief experience with mortals had lead me to believe that they mostly were frustrated by each other, often for superficial reasons. This didn't seem to be the case. At least, not here.

"Question. Where am I?"

The human that had shouted before stepped forward. Even in my human form, I towered over everyone. "You're in Ogunquit, Maine, of course. The cutest little town off the 95."

I blinked a few times. Most of those words didn't make any sense to me. Ogunquit. Maine. Cute.

"You okay, big guy?" asked a different human, this one female "You look like you've had a rough day."

I had yet to look in a mirror, so I didn't know what I actually looked like. The only hints I had were that my skin had turned from a reptilian green to a more coffee like brown and my precious dreadlocks were intact, but the weapons woven artfully inside of them were gone.

The woman turned to a different man behind the bar, a profession I remember being called a bartender "Hey, Johnny, can you get our new guy some fries?"

Johnny nodded "Of course, Lucy." He threw open a door behind him and skittered inside, not unlike a hellrat would.

Lucy looked a little bit like Hyperion, in a funny way. She radiated warmth and kindness, just like Hyperion did whenever one of his little siblings was upset. Like every human in the bar, she was bundled up in several layers of clothing. A hoodie underneath a parka which was underneath another parka. Her eyes were electric blue, almost like Thalia's, but hers were more understated. More, normal, I guess. The roots of her hair were dirty blonde, but the further you got down her head, the lighter the hair became. She wore black, closed rimmed glasses and her bangs nearly reached her eyebrows. I was not great at guessing mortal ages, but I surmised that she was between 25 and 32.

"What's your name, honey?" asked Lucy.

"Porphyrion." I answered. I saw no reason to lie, as long as they didn't assume I was the real deal.

"Neat name." said the man "I'm just Ed."

I clapped Ed on the back "There is nothing wrong with such a name."

Ed shot me a grateful look, but turned away before I could return it. Ed was the second tallest being in that room, the first being me. Out of everyone in that room, he was probably dressed the warmest. That wasn't exactly saying much, though. He wore a dark gray sort of trench coat that went down to the back of his knees, heavy pants, a sweater and long johns underneath.

Johnny clambered out of the kitchen, a plate of scorched French fries ready for me. I took a seat at the bar and gently put a fry in my mouth. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply, absorbing the uniquely crunchy, fluffy and salty experience that French fries held.

"Thank you, Johnny." I said, genuinely appreciative, "I don't believe I have the means to pay you."

Johnny shrugged "It's just a plate of fries." he said. He whirled on me and jabbed a finger in my face. "Don't make a habit of it, though." It took all my effort not to expand to my full size and pound Johnny into a smattering of atoms. But this was not my domain. This was Johnny's domain, and I was a guest.

One of the other men raised his hand "If you're looking for a job, you can be a repairman for me. I work with heating and AC. You get a lot of problems with that sort of thing around here."

"I have nowhere to stay." I said, shrugging my shoulders.

"Nonsense, I have a spare room upstairs." offered Johnny. "Smells like burgers, though. I won't even charge rent for the first two months."

I thought about Johnny's offer. Part of me was cautious about it. Not that the Ogunquitians would attack me or secretly be some sort of enemy of Gaea. I could only be killed through the teamwork between a god and a demigod, and I sensed neither. Although, demigods with non-Olympian heritage slipped through the radar sometimes. No, I was worried that Thalia and her Hunters would attack the Ogunquitians simply because I was holed up here. In my long life, I had seen a lot of destruction and death.

I had caused a lot of destruction and death.

I didn't want to see anymore.

At the same time, there was no sign of them anywhere. Or any sort of civilization. And if anyone threatened the people of Ogunquit, well, I was still the king of the Gigantes.

I turned to the man who had offered me a job. He was shorter and squatter than Ed, and tanner, too. His hair was wild and curly and a beard covered his chin and reached down to his collarbone. All of his hair was stark black. "What time should I arrive tomorrow?"

"7 should work," he said.

"Thank you...what is your name?"

The bearded man chuckled "Wyatt."

I bowed deeply in gratitude "Well, I am tired. And apparently, I have work in the morning." I grabbed the plate of French fries and went up to the room, a chorus of 'goodnight' and 'sleep well' echoed behind me.

My new headquarters was mostly painted white, with more movie posters hanging on either side of my room. One was for a film named Grease and another named Saturday Night Fever. Johnny must've been a pretty big movie buff. There wasn't any sort of bedframe around the mattress, which I actually preferred. Even in my human form I likely wouldn't have fit on any proper bed. Compared to the depths of Tartarus, Johnny's old mattress felt like perfection. A few nautical decorations were on the walls, including a model of a swordfish, an anchor and a painting of an octopus.

As soon as my head hit the dark blue, saggy pillow, I started to dream.

Thalia was kneeling before a twelve year old girl. At first, I thought it was a strange sight, but then I realized who I was looking at. Artemis. Goddess of the hunt. The implications of her simply blessing the Roman Praetor to kill Orion made me fear her immensely. Loopholes, the true bane of the Gigantes.

"He escaped, my Lady." said Thalia, shamefully.

"He...escaped?" asked Artemis, disbelief spilling into her voice. "He didn't want to kill you? A daughter of Zeus?"

"I'm not even sure it happened." admitted Thalia "It doesn't feel real."

"Something with him has changed." said Artemis "I have someone en route to Maine to figure out what Porphyrion is up too."

"Do you think he's changed?" asked a third hunter with short, pageboy brown hair.

"I'm not sure, Katherine. But Porphyrion, if left to his own devices, will always be a threat."

I believed her.


	4. Laertes Cross

I woke up in a start. I didn't know what time it was. Huh, it was the first time in my immortal life that time actually mattered to me. I didn't want to let Wyatt down on my first day of having a job. Well, my first day of having a job that wasn't flaying the king of Olympus alive. Compared to killing Zeus, repair work should be a cinch.

I lumbered downstairs, yawning profusely. Of course, I had to stop groaning so loudly, because Johnny downstairs somehow, cleaning some of his mugs.

"Morning, Porphyrion. Can I get you something?"

I inhaled and exhaled sharply, a phenomenon normally reserved Periboia and her reckless tendencies. "I already don't have anything to pay with."

Even though I was twenty feet away, Johnny leaned over the counter and started whispering as if I was right next to him. "Between you and me, I can afford losing a few bucks a day to keep you fed."

The idea of explaining that I was an immortal being with no need for sustenance quickly left my mind when I took my first tentative sip of coffee. It was a strange, yet harmonious combination of sweetness, sourness and even a little acidity thrown in there to keep me on my toes. I thanked Johnny, downed the rest of the cup in one gulp, and went outside to find Wyatt's house.

The town of Ogunquit, Maine was very kind and welcoming. I noticed that a majority of the people in the town, though, were on the older side. Lucy and Ed were probably some of the youngest people in the town.

In addition, there weren't very many kids. Not to say there weren't any, but they were few and far in between. I kind of appreciated that. I knew from watching Hermes grow up that kids were a pain in the rectum.

Thinking of Hermes made me think of Hippolytus, his bane. Gaea had created us to be the complete opposite of gods we were supposed to destroy. Hermes was a charismatic, charming messenger that was always on time. Hippolytus was designed to be the opposite. Someone who was always late. Someone who nobody really liked.

Not to mention, Hippolytus smells terrible.

I entered Wyatt's house, a few doors down from Johnny's bar. It was a depressingly empty place. Only a few pieces of furniture were strewn about the house. A brown faux leather couch with white pillows that was falling apart as I looked at it. A few wicker chairs with small sections of wood scattered underneath them.

Atop a rickety, glass dining table resided two toolboxes, one shiny and green and the other rusted and orange.

Now it made sense that Johnny wanted me to stay with him instead of Wyatt. Wyatt's house looked like Typhon had stayed there.

"We got two calls today." said Wyatt "I'll take the Rosenthaal family, and you can take old Agnes. Her issues are normally pretty simple."

"I do not know where Agnes lives." I said, picking up one of the toolboxes.

"She's by the edge of town. Just follow the road signs to Josias River." said Wyatt, before picking up the rusted toolbox and bustling out the door.

I followed him out and, for the first time, really took in Ogunquit. It was a quaint place. Snow sat on the ground after the previous night's stormfall. A few road signs swung in place, one of them marking Josias River.

As I walked down Main Street, my thoughts trailed over to Periboia. She was fine in Tartarus. Iapetus and Damasen are very forgiving prison wardens. But that is what they were. Wardens.

I flashed back to the first Gigantomachy. The Olympians had won. Of course they had. The only thing I could do was hold on to Periboia and wait for Heracles and Zeus to finish us off.

"I'm sorry it ended this way." I had said.

"It's okay," responded Periboia "I'm happy I'm with you."

"Just hold my hand. Our journey doesn't end here."

Then Zeus had incinerated us both. We were giants. We weren't dead, not really. But at the same time, I will never forgive Zeus for killing my daughter.

I saw an isolated, light blue cabin right on the edge of the river. Considering who else was inside that home, it should've been downright obvious what was happening. But I was too busy thinking about Periboia.

I knocked on the door, and an elderly woman let me inside.

Agnes almost looked like she was Akhlys, she was so old. Her face and hands were weathered to nearly bones. Her teeth were rotten and she didn't smell too great either. The only thing about her that betrayed her was as once an adventurer were her sparkling, light brown eyes. Whatever was special about Agnes, it hadn't quite left her yet.

Her daughter entered Agnes's living room, and the hair on the back of my neck. This was a demigoddess, no doubt about it. A daughter of some sort of sea god, judging from the shade of green her eyes were. Poseidon's only son was Perseus, so perhaps this was a daughter of Nereus, Thaumas or Triton. She was well over sixteen, bordering on nearly forty.

She twirled a green, plastic straw between her fingers methodically, as if she had been doing it for years upon years.

"Hey, I'm Porphyrion. I'm here about your furnace."

Agnes's daughter stuck her hand out, and I shook it enthusiastically. "Ophelia. The problem is in our shed, come with me."

Ophelia's bluntness took me off guard. I had only been a human for twelve hours. Were they always so blunt? Even Alcyoneus and Polybotes knew to treat me with respect. Even if Alcyoneus was technically the strongest of us (don't tell him I said that).

The Maine sun flooded through the dense woods almost mocking me. Every time I would forget the sun was there, it would flash me in the eyes. Almost as if Apollo was mocking me.

Something about the sun felt different, though. I had a sneaking feeling that Apollo wasn't the one at the reigns anymore.

A strange structure to my left caught my eye. It was a pillar with extremities that rotated counterclockwise. "What is that?"

Without even missing a beat, Ophelia had a snarky answer "That's a windmill, genius."

I was very tempted to squash Ophelia like a bug, but if I did that, Artemis and Thalia would know my position immediately, and while I could certainly take them in a fight, the collateral damage would be devastating to Ogunquit's economy. Or whatever.

"What does a windmill do?"

Ophelia looked at me curiously "Where are you from? Alabama, I don't think there's any windmills down there."

"I…"

"You think I don't know who you are?" asked Ophelia, holding a dark green xiphos to my neck. I hadn't see a warrior with xiphos since Percy Jackon stabbed with Thoon. Although, in the grand scheme of things, that wasn't too long ago.

"If you did, you should know you can't kill me without the assistance of a god."

"Couple of naiads around here I'm friends with." said Ophelia through clenched teeth "Wanna see if that's good enough?"

"I have done nothing to offend you." I reasoned.

Ophelia arched an eyebrow. "Oh, you haven't? Your brood attacked Camp Jupiter. When Percy Jackson first arrived, there, remember?"

"I can't say that-"

"Laertes Cross! Do you know that name?" spat Ophelia, losing any sort of composure.

"I don't."

Ophelia screamed. It was a horrible sound, filled with the most human thing I knew of. Loss. She pressed her xiphos harder on my neck. The Josias River started to gargle and froth. I was in serious trouble.

"Laertes Cross, son of Triton. You mean to tell me that after all the devastation, all the lives you've lost, you don't even know his name?"

I summoned my spear into my hands and knocked Ophelia's weapon out of her hands. "I was not responsible for the raid on Camp Jupiter. That was my brother, Polybotes. Who, for the record, I do not like."

Ophelia fluidly snatched her xiphos off the ground and swiped at me. I struck the ground with my spear, creating a small earthquake, which destabilized Ophelia enough for me to use the shaft of my spear to knock Ophelia off of her feet.

Then, the Josias River exploded, and Josias revealed herself.

Her skin was blue, like most naiads, but she wasn't skinny like them. Nor did she have long, flowing, green hair that resembles seaweed. Her dusky purple hair was more akin to a sea urchin. Her muscles rippled underneath her seashell like armor, and she wore a bull-like sneer on her face.

Nothing is more powerful and terrifying than a naiad on her home turf.

Half of the river swirled around Josias in a tremendous waterspout. Even if I was in my true Gigantes form, I would've been consumed.

I pointed my spear at Josias, hoping for some sort of miracle. I recognized now that a naiad and a demigoddess was more than enough to send me back to Tartarus.

I was the opposite of Zeus.

That was all I knew. That was all Gaea told me I was. She had taken so much from me. She had sent me into a Gigantomachy that I was doomed to fail in. Twice. And now she had taken my daughter from me. If I was going to get Periboia back, then I couldn't let some river spirit stop me.

I was the opposite of Zeus. I wasn't high and mighty. I wasn't of the clouds. I was grounded. I was the son of the earth and of hell. The earth was my domain just as much as my mother's.

A chunk of earth the size of a minivan flew past the point of my spear and hit Josias in the face. She collapsed, and the weight of her own river crashed down on top of her. She wasn't dead, she was a naiad after all. But she would be incapciated for a few hours.

I kept the chunk of earth floating for a few seconds, just to make sure it was me doing it and not some sort of posthumous present from mom. It was me.

"Wh-what are you going to do now?" asked Ophelia. "Kill me like your brother killed mine?"

For the briefest of instances, I leveled my spear at Ophelia. She stared defiantly at me, the same way Periboia glared at Piper McLean and Aphrodite while they slowly and methodically tore her to pieces. I couldn't inflict that sort of pain on Agnes. She missed Laertes just like I missed my daughter.

I lowered my spear and it dematerialized. "No, I'm just to fix your furnace."


	5. I'm Really Worried About The Queen

It was nighttime in Ogunquit, Maine. Flickering street lights and a sliver of a crescent moon where the only light in town. There was a light snowfall, something I hadn't gotten to slow down and experience in nearly a millennium.

The Josias River's sound flowing and some cars crunching their way through town were the only sounds to be heard. I breathed out heavily and pretended I could breathe fire.

True to my word, I repaired Ophelia's furnace and then left her with Agnes. I was out for an aimless stroll. The frigid air was akin to the worst of Khione's wrath.

Of course, Khione got off for supporting Gaea because she was a goddess. But Gigantes, no. Tartarus, the most violent and destructive place in the solar system, was the only place for the Gigantes.

I resisted the urge to beat something. The only thing nearby was a fishing shack that Lucy was in charge of, and even though I was having a crappy day, I didn't want to ravage Lucy's. I took a quivery breath and tried to relax.

The attack at Agnes's cabin was the first time in a while that I understood what the puny demigods were thinking. Ophelia had lost her brother in Polybotes's raid on Camp Jupiter. Granted, that was nine years ago, but to a mortal, nine years was a very long time.

I missed Gaea, as strange as it was to think that. She might've been a manipulative, gaslighting maniac, but she was my mother. A part of me will always love her for that.

I felt a powerful presence behind me. I turned around, expecting to see another cleft naiad ready to send me back to Tartarus. Instead, though, I saw something that freaked me out even more.

For the first time in a very lengthy time, I laid my eyes on Periboia's mom.

"Hey, Hera," I said.

Hera looked the same as ever. Same soft, welcoming brown eyes. Same stark black hair that always reminded me of Khaos. Some sort of unapproachable, regal beauty that monsters like me didn't get to earn.

"Porphyrion," she stated haughtily.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, leaning against the walls of Lucy's Fishing Shack.

"I could ask you the same thing." shot back Hera.

"Damasen and Iapetus, they let me out," I notified her. "I thought you'd have known that, being the Queen of Olympus."

"And our daughter?" asked Hera softly, not wanting to be eavesdropped by Zeus.

"Didn't want to leave."

"And you just left her there?!" asked Hera indignantly.

"Periboia is a big girl now. She can take care of herself. And she has her uncles to protect her."

Hera rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."

"That is why you fell in love with me," I said.

"I didn't fall in love with you!" bellowed Hera.

The light went on in Lucy's Fishing Shack. Someone, or multiple someones, started to rustle around in there. I know it's irrational, but part of me thought it was Zeus, somehow.

"Oh yeah, when what did you do?" I asked, placing my hands on my hips.

"I was angry, okay?" spat Hera. "There, are you happy? I was angry. Zeus had gone behind my back so many times. With Danae. Europa. Io. Semele. So when Brizo was born and Amphitrite wasn't the mom, and Zeus accused me of cheating...I went to the only source of comfort I knew."

I remembered the Brizo dispute well. Brizo was a daughter of Poseidon, born near the start of the Roman Empire. She was a prophet, sending sailors, mariners, and fishers prophetic dreams to warn them of storms and pirates. The controversy came from her mother. Or rather, the fact that no one knew who Brizo's mother was. Amphitrite had never shown any signs of being pregnant like with her other children. No other goddess came forward.

Who Brizo's mother was; that was a question that always nagged at Zeus. It eventually got into his head that Hera was somehow Brizo's mother. It turns out, Brizo's mother was a secondary sea goddess named Psamthe. But the damage was done. Hera had turned to me for sympathy, and she was now expecting with Periboia. I should've had the backbone to tell her no.

Perhaps in that way, Zeus and I were the same.

"We were never going to work." resumed Hera. "You, me, we don't win in the end."

"You mean I don't win." I growled, "You stay up on your cushy throne as Queen of Olympus, while I slum it down here with the humans."

Hera drew breath through her teeth, caught off guard, and began to blink back tears tightly. I wondered when was the last time someone talked to Hera like that "I'm sorry, Porphyrion. I really am."

"Please, just leave. Go back to your king of the cosmos and leave me alone."

Hera looked at me, trying to implore without words. A part of me wondered if I was on the wrong side of this. Zeus was a womanizer, and some of the instances where he initiated sexual encounters have been unsavory, to say the least. And Hera had to put up with all of it and stick with it for the sanctity of marriage. If Hera cheated as much as Zeus did, there was no way in Tartarus that he would put up with it. There was no way.

"Porphyrion, please, listen."

I reached out, and Hera recoiled sharply. It took her a second to see that I meant no harm. "I'm sorry, Hera. But it's a tough time to be one of the Gigantes right now. I just got stressed, and I lashed out."

Hera agreed but didn't say anything. We stood here, snow lightly dusting us, for what felt like an hour.

"Do you think, maybe, in another life, we'd get our happy ending?" I asked.

Hera scrunched her jet black eyebrows, "I don't know. I'd like to think so." Thunder rumbled in the distance, causing both Hera and I to flinch. "I...I think that's my cue to leave," she said, trying to grin.

I leaned Hera into a hug.

It wasn't an emotional or even rational judgment. It was an impulse. I wanted to protect Hera from Zeus, even if I wasn't powerful enough to do so. I could only hope that just for a moment, Hera considered herself safe and secure.

She blended away into the night, back to a husband who didn't appreciate her and a life I'm not sure she wanted. I saw a few heavily tattooed guys about my height give me weird looks across the street. I waved at them, and one in the middle gave me a sharp-toothed, yellowed grin.

I returned the smile and went into Lucy's shack.

It was empty, other than a concerned-looking Lucy sitting behind the cashier's desk, her feet propped up casually.

"That sounded like quite the argument, Porphyrion," said Lucy in a singsong teasing voice, not unlike my old fling Arke. But her story was one for another day.

"Old friend," I grunted absentmindedly fingering the reels Lucy had for sale. I surveyed the store for anything interesting. Perhaps some Ancient Greek artifacts or Olympian weaponry. I've had one demigoddess attack so far today; I didn't need another one.

My eyes settled on a picture with Lucy in it, but there was another human. He was human; his hair was as dark as Hera's. His smile was cavalier and lazy, but his eyes sparkled with love for life that most immortals lost in their mid to late 500s.

"Who is that?" I asked, picked up the framed photograph. I weighed it in my hands. It was heavier than expected.

Lucy tightened her lips, "Oh, I forgot I had that out there. That's Grimsley, my ex-husband."

"What caused the divorce?" I asked.

I silently picked up a fishing rod and swung it around a little bit. It wasn't my trusty spear, but it would make do in case she turned on me.

"He died," said Lucy. "Three months ago." I feel horrible saying this now, but I felt a spasm of relief wash over me when Lucy uttered three months ago. The Second Gigantomachy had already ruined the Cross family. At least something else destroyed Lucy's.

I put the fishing rod back on the rack and went over to the counter.

"Grimsley was my first love," said Lucy wistfully. "He was with me when I first realized what love was, you know?"

I nodded, even though I didn't know.

"You always think that person you have that magical awakening within your life forever, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way." lamented Lucy. "And I don't know if I can love again. You can't find that sort of awakening twice."

"Good gods…" was all I could say without feeling disingenuous.

"Welcome to Ogunquit." said Lucy bitterly, "Where everyone has ghosts, and no one is happy."

I thought of my brief fling with Hera. I thought about the marriage and love I almost shared with Arke if only Gaea hadn't messed that up.

"I'll fit right in, I think."

Then the storefront exploded. I summoned my spear instinctively and pointed it at the threat. I thought I would see Ophelia back for round two, but it was one of the tattooed guys from across the road, gazed and injured.

In hindsight, I definitely should've known those were Laistrygonians. I separated the ogre's head from his body with one flick of my spear, and they disintegrated into dust.

In the street, I saw the other two Laistrygonians brawling with a tanned blonde girl with grey eyes and a striking resemblance to Athena and a messy-haired surfer dude not at all dressed for Maine with Poseidon's eyes. I knew the duo well. I had to listen to Polybotes and Enceladus rant about them all the time.

Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase were here.


	6. I Wish I Hadn't Learned His Name

Percy seemed delighted that I made my home in a diner that served deliciously seasoned French fries.

"Who're your friends?" asked Johnny, scrubbing a few cups with chocolate residue in them. I made a mental note to try his milkshakes later.

"Second cousins, I think?" I said, scratching the back of my head "It's complicated."

Johnny shrugged. "Alright, dude. You hear what happened at Lucy's yesterday?"

At least Percy had the decency to look abashed. The battle with Laistrygonians destroyed Lucy's entire storefront. The good news was that Wyatt and I had a lot of work on our hands. The bad news is, that was going to set back Lucy months financially. And this was right after Grimsley died, too.

"Yes, I did. A couple of thugs jumped a couple of teenagers and didn't know what they were getting into."

Johnny clicked his tongue disappointedly and shook his head. "I know one of those thugs—some weird name. Iavon, I think? Not sure. He goes to the A.A. meetings up in Saco Orchard."

Annabeth squinted at Johnny, trying to determine if he was a monster of some kind. I also squinted at Johnny, trying to determine how he had a Laistrygonian friend and was somehow still alive.

Annabeth slowly took her gaze away from Johnny and asked, "What are you doing out of Tartarus?"

"The wardens let me out."

"The wardens?" asked Annabeth.

"Well, after Damasen and Iapetus defeated our dad."

Their eyes lit up. "Bob and Damasen are alive?" asked Percy excitedly.

"Who's Bob?"

Percy and Annabeth started discussing excitedly amongst themselves, something I didn't quite understand.

I had a begrudging respect for Percy and Annabeth. Those two had accomplished more than any other demigod in history, and even some gods. Not that any of them would ever admit that.

I got to the conclusion that Bob was Iapetus, somehow.

It was a massive blow to the Titans when Iapetus withdrew his support from Kronos, even when Oceanus and Prometheus supported him. A part of Kronos had always looked up to Hyperion and Iapetus. Don't tell anyone he said that, though. He said to me that in confidence.

I suddenly made the connection that Percy and Annabeth were the two demigods that survived Tartarus. A lot of demigods at tried. Teucer after the Trojan War. Grigori Rasputin after WWI ended. Tennessee Williams in the sixties. They weren't even the first duo to try to take on Tartarus. Clement Vallandigham and his gay lover tried in 1871.

All mighty demigods. But only Percy and Annabeth escaped. Vallandigham was trapped down there to this day. Mussolini resented him for his prowess at card games.

But here they were. A collective that could do what Rasputin himself could not. And they were… relatively immature.

"Wait, if Bob and Damasen let you out, who's to say other monsters can't get out?" asked Annabeth.

I automatically tried to form an answer, but I paused. Iapetus was the second strongest Titan. Damasen, even though he was the runt of the Gigantes brood, he was still a competent warrior. But it was very much possible some powerful, ancient monsters that could overpower them. And much smarter monsters that could sneak past them.

"You demigods can't catch a break, huh?" I asked.

Percy popped one my fries into his mouth. "Not really."

"Well, you know Tartarus. Better than anyone. Who could possibly get past a Titan and a giant." asked Annabeth.

"Some Titans didn't join Kronos in his little uprising. Epimetheus. Perses. Astraeus. They could cause some problems."

"And Gigantes?"

One name tickled the back of my mind—one of my little brothers, the Gigante born to oppose Hestia. During the first Gigantomachy, he just stayed in Tartarus to 'protect the home base.' Hestia's counterpart had disappeared by the time we had returned. He hadn't been killed. There was no dust or ichor or signs of a struggle. He had hidden away where Gaea and Tartarus couldn't find him somehow.

Ultimately, I shook my head no.

Annabeth eyed me, skeptically, "But you have no reason to tell us the truth."

I shook my head "No, I don't."

The door to Johnny's bar opened, and it was Thalia standing there. I could tell just by her rate of breathing that something was wrong.

"Jason's dead," she said.

I had lived a long, long life. Very little could surprise me anymore. After John F. Kennedy was assassinated (by a mortal, the gods don't have their fingers in every significant event in history), I mistakenly assumed that I would be ready for whatever life could throw at me. I was wrong.

Jason Grace was a godlike figure, and I don't use that term lightly. Krios spoke of Jason highly in Tartarus. Jason was the only demigod in history to take on a first-generation Titan alone and win.

Percy stopped chewing on my fry and buried his head in his hands. Annabeth's normally stoic grey eyes widened. I was speechless.

"Thalia…" I said, struggling to find the right words to say.

Thalia looked at me, "Who is...Porphyrion? Is that you?"

The words started to come to me, slowly but surely. Unexpectedly, tears began to well up in my eyes. "I know what it's like to lose a brother."

Thalia looked like she wanted to get angry, but she was too melancholy to do so. I scooched over, and Thalia slipped in next to me. The four of us sat in stunned silence. The only sounds I heard for a long time was Johnny cleaning the same glass, and the quiet sounds of thalia and Percy holding back tears.

xXx xXx

We missed the funeral. After someone discovers a body, it was Roman custom to perform the funeral procession within a few days.

I could've teleported there, using my spear (which I was more and more tempted to name the longer I played a mortal), but I can only teleport myself with it. I would've left the demigods behind. Usually, I wouldn't care about demigods and their needs very much, but if I wanted to survive a trip to Camp Jupiter, I would need Percy, Annabeth, and Thalia to vouch for me.

So instead, we took Percy's Prius that he borrowed from his stepfather. There were some hoof marks on the hood that I'm sure had an interesting backstory.

The road trip itself passed without incident, which I found surprising until I thought about it a little more. My scent as a Gigante overwhelmed their scent as demigods. The passing monsters didn't know they were there.

Of course, that meant that the Laistrygonians that Percy and Annabeth were fighting weren't there for them. They were there to feast on the mortals there, even knowing there was a Gigante in the area. But one issue at a time, I suppose.

I instantly l became a fan of AC-DC, a musical group Thalia had introduced me to along the way. Something about being shaken all night long really spoke to me. I had a feeling that, under different circumstances, this would've been an enjoyable road trip. 'Yay, Olympus has a new, potent ally!'. But, of course, it was not cheerful.

Jason Grace was dead. That thought echoed in my mind over and over again until we arrived in the valley.

I had mixed feelings about visiting Camp Jupiter for the first time. I was confident that if I saw Camp Jupiter in her prime, I would be very impressed.

There was a prominent hippodrome on the east end of New Rome. There was a similar one in Tartarus, but it was smaller and not used for horses. What we used the hippodrome for, I'll leave up to your imagination.

There was a miniaturized coliseum and a bunch of temples atop a hill. There were a lot more than just twelve. There were nearly thirty. But there was more than just society for teenage demigods. Beyond the mountains, a walled city with barracks and stables and a tunnel leading out to a mortal territory named Berkeley.

There was ample evidence that this society had endured plenty of earth-shattering battles. One against Krios. One against Polybotes. And one against Julius Caesar somehow. The logistics of that confounded me.

I stood in the cemetery in the middle of Sunflower Field, and stared down at the gravestone of Jason Grace. I couldn't cross the city borders; otherwise, Terminus and any number of demigods would tear me to pieces.

Thalia stood silently next to me. I got the feeling that part of her wanted to gut someone like a fish. But her rage wasn't directed at me anymore. The anger targeted Caesar now.

Even by mortal standards, Jason Grace was far too young to die. Grudges were not in the Gigantes gene pool unless you were Clytius. I bore no ill will against the boy for killing me in Athens. After all, I got to reform and come back. Jason did not get that privilege.

"How old was he?" I asked Thalia.

"Sixteen," said Thalia hallowly.

"It is not fair," I said.

Thalia looked at me. It wasn't just any look, though. It was the same look that Wyatt gave me when I offered to work for him. For a moment, I wasn't Porphyrion, the king of the Gigantes. I wasn't Porphyrion, the bane of Zeus. I was Porphyrion, the guy who wanted to help.

"Didn't you try to kill us?" asked Thalia, "Multiple times?"

"That was when Gaea was in my head." I explained, "But Gaea is dead now. I have mixed feelings about that."

Thalia looked back down at her brother's gravestone. "I know how you feel. My mom wasn't great, either."

I gently put my hand on Jason's stone. It read 'Jason Maximus Grace, 1994-2006. Leader. Mentor. Friend'. Was this all Jason was meant to be? After all of his accomplishments, he was reduced to this one small slab of granite. One of many. I wondered if I would be able to find the resting place of Laertes Cross here.

"You could help us, you know." prompted Thalia. "You're one of the most powerful figures in Greek mythology."

I considered her offer. But, Caesar and his compatriots were gods. If they had the assistance of any demigods, I wouldn't be much help. On the other hand, the two demigods killed me were Hercules and Jason Grace, some of the strongest in history. Perhaps against lesser demigods, I would fare better.

But if I left Ogunquit, the Ogunquitians would be left unprotected, and whenever there were some Laistrygonians, there were always more numerous to follow. It was not my duty to defeat the god-emperors. Zeus had allocated Apollo to do that.

It was a miracle Zeus didn't know I was alive. He probably did.

"My purpose is elsewhere," I said finally. Thalia's shoulders slumped down.

"Hey, I'm sorry for blasting you with lightning last week," she said.

I patted her shoulder and started to walk away from the final resting place of Jason Grace. I recalled that boastful upstart when he attacked me in the Wolf's Den. My first smile in days flit across my face.

For an instant, I grew to my full height and slammed my spear in the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Terminus lose his mind that a Gigante had snuck that close to New Rome and not get caught. Part of me wanted to become friends with the cranky statue, but that wouldn't happen for a long time.

I reappeared in front of Johnny's Bar and saw Lucy drinking her sorrows away at his bar. Ophelia sat at a booth alone, nibbling on her grilled cheese tentatively as if it was the only meal she would get in a while. On the opposite side of the restaurant as Ophelia, Wyatt gave me a warm smile, "Welcome back, Big Guy."

Perhaps what she said about Ogunquit applied to the entire mortal world. Everyone had ghosts. The jury was still out on the happiness part.


End file.
